The Other Guys
by co-to-nuts
Summary: Imagine another Fang. And another Iggy, another Max, another Gazzy...another flock. Except well...different. How different? Trust us - you'll see.
1. Prologue

Saturday morning. 9 am.

An evil act was being plotted.

Dawn's hair was blond, her eyes light green, and her skin tan. She was eight-years-old, and a bit tall for her age. Justice was only slightly different, with dark blue eyes, medium skin, a tall frame, and messy, short brown hair with dark streaks. The two were sneaking very quietly out of his room after she'd woken him up; looking around to make sure no one saw them.

Justice opened his mouth to say something, but Dawn turned around quickly and shut him up. "Don't. Say. A. Word." She snapped quietly. "Just do what I say." The six-year-old nodded obediently. Dawn peeked around the corner carefully before motioning for Justice to follow her. They tiptoed silently into the room, careful not to wake the sleeping occupant. Dawn held up three fingers, counting down. Two. One.

Dawn and Justice hit and ran.

"DAWN!"

Dawn giggled. She _loved it_ when Kevin yelled at her. For some reason, she gained an odd pleasure from the sound of his outrage. Justice tried to laugh too – he wasn't sure what he was laughing about, but he did anyway. The two were now hiding in the living room, wondering if Kevin would find them.

The sixteen-year-old was, in fact, looking for them. Kevin was built agilely, with sideswept, blackish-brown hair with a brown streak in his bangs, dark red eyes, and almost coffee-colored skin. As he searched the room, the other occupants of the house got up to see what was going on.

"Oh wait –" Cody stopped in his doorway. "It's Saturday." So then the twelve-year-old turned around and went straight back to bed. No one wondered if they should save the two children or stop the epidemic, they all just ignored it and kept on sleeping. It was the weekend – Dawn always did this on weekend mornings, dragging Justice with her, and picking a new victim each weekend.

This week it was Kevin. He sighed. "I'm too tired to be doing this with you, Dawn." He went back to his room, but Dawn, unsatisfied with his answer, jumped out from in between the TV stand and the chair, launching herself at him. "DAWN!"

She stepped back, grinning ever-so-sweetly. "Yes?"

"Go to sleep. It's almost nine am."

"Which means it's time to get up."

"No. It's not."

"Well, when _are_ you going to get up?"

"Never."

"You gotta get up sometime!" Justice popped up.

"No." Kevin's voice was blunt.

"How about I let you sleep til eleven? Then will you chase me?" Dawn asked.

"Three."

"Eleven."

"Nope, sorry, gotta go." He turned around and started walking back to his room again.

"Twelve thirty?"

"No, Dawn."

"One?" She paused, but then crossed her arms. "One thirty. End of it."

"Yes, it is – I'm going to sleep, you're going to sleep, everyone's going back to sleep – _or else_."

"Or else what?!" Dawn asked hotly.

"Or I'll do the top-secret leader move on you."

"Oh, I'm _so_ scared." Dawn rolled her eyes.

Justice walked up, looking thoughtful. "There _isn't_ a top secret leader move, is there?"

"Yes, there is." Kevin insisted.

"I don't think so!" Justice countered.

"I think you're all going to get back in bed. And no, Kevin, you can't sleep til three. I'm waking you up in three hours – go enjoy it." The three of them sulked – well, Kevin mentally rejoiced – all the back to their rooms. Virginia sighed. Did they _honestly_ have to do this? _Honestly?_

"STOP SLAMMING DOORS!"

"I DIDN'T SLAM THE FREAKIN' DOOR, AUDREY!"

"DON'T MAKE ME COME OUT THERE!"

"OH YEAH? YOU'RE NOT GONNA MOVE!"

"I'LL MOVE JUST ENOUGH TO PUT A BOMB IN YOUR PANTS!"

"Audrey, there will be NO bombs in this house!" Virginia yelled. Kevin snickered. "KEVIN!"

"YES MA'AM!" Virginia almost growled. They were _so_ much trouble in the mornings.

"SCOOT _OVER_!"

"JUSTICE!"

"FINE! THAT'S IT! ALL OF YOU _UP!_" Virginia yelled.

"NNOOO!" Dawn exclaimed.

"AIN'T VIRGINIA!" Cody protested.

"PLEASE NO!" Justice pleaded.

"ANYTHING BUT THE WAKING WORLD!" Audrey screamed.

"_GREAT_!" Kevin growled. A large groan was all that signaled Alyssa had heard.

"UP! NOW!" All six children filed into the hallway in varying states of drowsiness to stare at the gray-eyed woman with slightly curly light red hair. She sighed. "You guys…." They waited. "Go sit on the couch, I'm calling Lee."

"LEROY!" All of them exclaimed.

"HE'LL SAVE US!" Dawn smiled.

"THANK YOU, AIN'T VIRGINIA!" Justice grinned.

"_Aunt_ Virginia, Justice. _Aunt_. I don't care what those three have told you." She glared at the three oldest. Starting with Kevin, then fifteen-year-old Audrey, and fourteen-year-old Alyssa: Audrey had short, sideswept reddish-brown hair, silvery-blue eyes, and light tan skin, while Aly had shoulder-length, brown hair, light brown eyes, and light tan skin. Next was Cody, with raven black hair, dark green eyes, and tan skin. Justice was youngest and Dawn before him.

While Virginia went to call Lee, the six clambered onto various furniture – fighting for the best spots, of course – and turned on the TV, then they fought over the channel. "If you all don't shut up I'm gonna put on the history channel." Kevin threatened.

Cody literally got on his knees in front of him. "Oh, please _no_! Oh merciful, mighty, wonderful, Kevin. Don't make me watch the history channel!"

"HANNAH!" Dawn argued.

"NO!" Audrey screamed.

"Batman!" Justice urged.

"LOOK! LOONEY TOONS!" Audrey and Dawn were too busy arguing to hear Alyssa's screaming.

"WE'RE WATCHING LOONEY TOONS!" Kevin yelled, yanking the remote from Audrey – very forcefully – and changing the channel.

"If you hadn't saved me from watching _Hannah Montana_," Audrey sneered. "Then I would kill you right here and now."

"Aly, go get the mail for me." Virginia called.

Aly made a shocked noise. "_What_?! I have to get…._DRESSED?!_ On a SATURDAY?!"

"Yes, now go!" Virginia called.

Aly sulked, muttering all the way to her room. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll get dressed too." Audrey sighed. "THE THINGS I DO FOR YOU!"

Aly grinned. "You rock." The two got dressed and then went outside, coming back in with a stack of mail. "Here." Aly sulkily laid it on the table in front of Virginia before the two joined the others in front of the TV. Virginia was very grateful that Looney Toons usually lasted an hour. The only quiet hour of the day until 3am when Audrey went to bed. From then until 9 – or 8 on most weekends, Dawn liked to rise and prank – the house was quiet. Unless Justice had a nightmare, or someone got sick, or someone else woke up in the middle of the night and decided to go annoy someone else. That was the most common case.

"If I was her, I'd blame Leroy." Dawn giggled.

Cody nodded. "He got her into this."

Kevin snorted. "_You_ got her into this."

"Well, you got her into it first, you're the oldest!" Thus it began again, even during Looney Toons. Today was going to be one of those days.

"SHUT UP! I'M LISTENIN' TO BUGS!" Aly screamed.

"You're fourteen, you can get over it." Kevin told her.

"You're sixteen, you can drive away."

"Where?"

"Anywhere but around me." And Kevin got in another argument. He was good at that.

"Guys – don't make me call Leroy!" Virginia warned. They had to think about that a moment. At least here they had food all the time, instead of just that one night that Lee ordered twelve pizzas and wasted all his money. So it was food or fun. They chose the food and stayed quiet for another ten minutes, until they heard Virginia asking for Lee at his work office.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!"

"She called him anyway!"

"SHE LIED!"

"BAD AIN'T VIRGINIA!" The six ran in the kitchen, Virginia sighed.

"I'm not calling because of you guys, now run away before I do. Go outside. Enjoy the morning sunshine."

"BUT-"

"NOW!"

"Okay, okay, _okay_!" They ran like heck out the door. As soon as they were out, they looked at each other. "What do we do now?" Dawn asked. The others shrugged. And then burst out laughing.

"Well, _that_ was a rhetorical question." Aly giggled. They stared. "FINE! No big words! _Sor-ry_!"

"Big words hurt my _brain_!" Audrey exclaimed, clutching her head. The others giggled, backing up and getting a running start.

Then they launched into the air.


	2. Chapter 1: Race Ya?

**Faith:** Look, we forgot to do the disclaimer on the prologue.

**Star: **And we forgot to talk randomly about our new story! (dances)

**Faith:**So, um, as much as we hate to say it, we do not own the Flock or any other recognizable elements from Maximum Ride. But we DO own the new guys.

**Star:** Especially Kevin!

**Faith:** (nods) Oh yes, definitely. And yes, we did reuse Audrey and Aly. We love them too much to let them go (snicker)

**Star:** They're way too original and FUN! (cackles maniacally) And what's better - now Audrey can fly and make BOMBS!

**Faith:** And for those of you who most likely haven't read our Animorphs story with Audrey and Aly, yes, their wings are based on their bird morphs. How cute. And original.....

**Star:** (swings with club at Faith's head but has a near miss) Quit rambling! They gotta read! (turns to viewers) READ! NOW! REVIEW! OR ELSE I'LL COME AT YOU WITH THIS CLUB! And you won't like that cuz it's scary!

* * *

After they took off, the kids unfurled their wings and slowly rose into the sky, flapping and riding the thermals. "Nothing like flyin' to wake you up." Cody made a face as his large, dark brown wings tilted slightly. "I think I swallowed a bug."

"Well, stop talking!" Dawn laughed, her own bright blue wings turning to match his course.

"He can't, it's impossible!" Kevin pointed out, sailing with his light gold wings.

"True," Aly nodded thoughtfully, her black and white wings flapping less than the others'. "Codester talks too much."

"DO NOT! And _don't_ call me that again." Cody insisted.

"CODESTER!" Audrey yelled, tucking in her brown, white, orange, and black wings and sailing quickly downward faster than he could catch her.

"YOU'RE DEAD!" Cody screamed. If his voice had been a hair deeper, than someone down below would have most likely been looking over their shoulder the rest of the day. But, Cody was twelve, and he still wasn't quite matured yet.

"Let's follow 'em!" Dawn said excitedly, diving after them.

Justice looked at her nervously, his jet black and light orange wings keeping him airborne in place. "I dunno. I don't think I can dive."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Get over here." Then he, Justice, and Aly dived after them.

"I WIN!" Audrey exclaimed.

"You had a head start!" Dawn pointed out.

"You cheated!" Cody yelled.

"CHEATER!" Kevin snickered.

"Cheater's never prosper! So nyah!" Aly joined in.

"Yeah, but neither do losers – so there." Audrey grinned.

"REMATCH!" Dawn pointed at Audrey.

"YOU'RE ON!" So they flew back up and did it again, except this time they all started on the count of three. "See? Still won!" Audrey said smugly.

"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Kevin yelled.

"You cheated _again_!" Justice sounded anguished. "That's bad, Audrey!"

"Whatever."

"Have you no shame?" Aly wondered.

She pretended to think a moment, even though they all knew what she was going to say. "Umm…No."

"Don't listen to her, Dawn. Don't take her word for anything." Cody advised.

"Unless it involves a bomb." Dawn grinned.

"NO!" Kevin screamed. "No bombs."

"Since when?!" Dawn demanded.

"You're sucking all the fun out of life!" Audrey exclaimed.

"Since I'm leader, Dawn." He grinned. "I'm the leader, _I'll_ say when you can build bombs." The other laughed.

"I love that movie." Justice commented.

"_Aristocats_ is a classic." Dawn agreed.

"Everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be a cat!" Audrey sung badly on purpose.

"MAKE HER STOP! MY EARS WILL _BLEED_!" Cody put his hands over his ears.

"I'm scarred for life!" Aly exclaimed.

"We'll never be the same again!" Dawn joined in.

"Don't sass me!" Audrey pointed at her. "I can leave you out next time I blow somethin' up! Mainly Kevin's stuff, though."

"I still miss that alarm clock."

"It woke me up one too many times – that stupid duck was asking for it." Audrey shook her head, glaring as if at the darned alarm clock.

"I like Daffy." Justice pouted. Aly flew quickly over and hugged him.

"One word and she comes a runnin'." Dawn shook her head.

"The kids spoiled." Cody muttered.

Aly glared. "Wanna run that one by me again?"

"No ma'am."

"Thought not."

Audrey snickered. "Shame. Shame to your name, Codester."

"STOP IT!" Then they all started chasing each other in the air. Which was great exercise – burns a lot of fat.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virginia sighed as she started going through the mail. It was much easier since the kids had left – much _quieter_. And she loved those rare, quiet moments. Her brain worked better without having to worry about anyone getting into a fist fight, the constant arguing, and having to worry if Audrey and Dawn had blown something up.

Much better.

She flipped through the various white envelopes, each having either her name or Leroy's. _Water bill, light bill, power bill, gas bill – oh look. More bills._ She sorted them out according to priority, then finished going through the junk mail, at least, until something caught her eye. A letter from a 'Lerner's School for Gifted Children' in Virginia, addressed to both herself and Lee. She quickly opened it, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, scanning the contents of the document that was inside. She smiled once she had finished, setting it back down on the table before getting up and putting on a pot of coffee.

She needed her jump-start for the morning.

_BRRRING!_

Finally. Leroy was probably just getting up. "You know, it's nice if you answer the phone when I call you." Virginia said acidly.

"Well, it probably means something's gone wrong, or someone's blown up the house – well, Dawn and/or Audrey has – or someone's kicked someone else, someone got hung up in a tree, or you're calling asking for money because, quote, 'they're half yours and you better take some responsibility for your actions'."

She _really_ wanted to slap him. Sadly, that was not possible over the phone. "Next time I see you, you're getting a good couple of slaps."

"What? You think there's gonna _be_ a next time? Those kids can fly over here and I'll _never_ have to see you."

"Uh-huh. And what happened _last time_ they did that?"

He paused. "Good point."

"Look, all else aside, I got this letter in the mail today…."


	3. Chaper 2: Skepticism

**Faith:** (waves document) I have written the next chapter!

**Star:** (sulks & glares) Yeah, A WEEK AGO.

**Faith:** (looks down) Um...yeah.....

**Star:** (practically explodes) Seriously! _Why_ did it take you so long to post this? _WHY?!_

**Faith:** (mumbles) Cuz I put off editing it....

**Star:** (glares harder) Yeah, so, you readers enjoy. I'm gonna chase Faith now. (pulls out rubber mallet)

* * *

We stared in shock.

She was going to make us actually…_go_?!

But…but....she couldn't do that to the flock! She could only do that to me, and- oh, wait. I see. Wherever I went, the flock went, and that was the way it worked, so she had just assumed that they were coming too.

Which, if I thought about it, wasn't too bad an assumption, but, somehow, I was sure that the flock didn't want to go with me this time.

Still, I was sure the flock would be completely mad at me for suggesting a brief visit to Arizona. But really, how could I know that a simple need for chocolate chip cookies could lead to us being cornered. Flyboys might be worse than this.

"Don't give me that, it was literally _made_ for you six." Mom insisted. "You need to at least go a semester."

"But I have nightmares about schools!" Gasman exclaimed.

"Real schools?" Mom gave him that 'you sure you wanna stick with that lie?' look. Gazzy looked down. She sighed. "I'm just _saying_ that you guys need a bit of socialization. I tell you what – give me no fuss and I'll have Ella enrolled a nearby school."

"But…but you live here!" Gasman continued.

"Yeah!" Iggy piped in. "What about Arizona? I mean, are you seriously going to uproot poor Ella in the middle of the school year?"

"Iggy." Fang scathed quietly. The blind kid shot him a quizzical look.

"Oh, yes, Iggy, it's going to be difficult. Since registration has already happened, since it's the beginning of June and all." Mom obviously wasn't happy about our excuses.

"She's rolling her eyes." Angel whispered to Iggy.

"So, you can go alone and fuss all you like, or I can arrange for Ella and me to move to Virginia. You can even live with us. Heck, I'll make _Jeb_ move if you want me to. Just as long as you go quietly."

It wasn't fair.

No. It was not fair at _all_. Baiting us like that.

So, either we had the satisfaction of pouting, moping, and complaining, or we'd have our family. We'd _live_ with our family.

You know, I love my mother to death – but this is….gah, she's evil. I sighed – the great Maximum Ride was giving in. Family over groaning rights. "Oh, all right."

"WHAT?!" Gasman exclaimed. "You're not giving into her, are you?"

"She is." Iggy sighed.

"What? You two would rather gripe all day? It would get old pret-ty quick." Mom pointed out.

"Oh, it'll be so much fun!" Nudge exclaimed. "It wasn't _too bad_ in Virginia, and this is _bound_ to be better! I mean, Dr. Martinez is right, it was _made_ for us." She giggled, but then gasped in shock, her hands over her mouth. "Oh, Dr. Martinez, do we get to go_ shopping_?"

To Nudge, that simple thing was like heaven on Earth – the ultimate. If God revealed the secrets of the universe, it still wouldn't compare to the prospect of shopping. I was just praying I wouldn't have to go with them. "Sure we can, Nudge." Dr. Martinez was delighted that _someone_ was excited about her idea.

_It'll be fu-un, Max_. A small voice taunted.

_Fun? Walking around a huge, packed building with people staring at you only to decide what you're gonna wear until you outgrow it? Yeah, Ang, that's fun._ I thought sarcastically.

_Oh, come on! Nudge is really excited. Dr. Martinez thinks Ella will come with us. Wait, almost forgot to tell you – Gazzy isn't really that scared of school. He's just afraid all the stuff to make bombs with will be taken away._

I snickered out loud. No one noticed. _What about Iggy? And Fang? Are they too…I dunno, disappointed, or what? Give me somethin' here._

_Umm…_ Angel hesitated. _Well, Iggy's being ironic again, and Fang…Fang's just being Fang. It doesn't really seem like he cares that much._

_Oh, that's oka- wait, you know what 'ironic' means? I've never heard you use that word before_. I thought, surprised.

Angel looked straight at me and shrugged almost unnoticeably. _Well, I pretty much figured it out. Iggy said he had an advanced sense of irony, and, since I know Iggy, I figured it was kinda like sarcasm, except I dunno…more like Iggy._

Wow. Not only was smart, but she was pretty darn articulate. Go Angel. She did a sort of thought-giggle thing. _Thank you, Max_. I wasn't sure if she'd 'heard' the sarcasm when I thought that. Luckily, though, when she was finished talking, she shut me out like she did the rest of the flock. She didn't really need to know what people were thinking, unless the need arose.

I was _so_ grateful Dr. Martinez had been able to help me enforce that one. It was really kind of weird to think knowing that a six-year-old was in your mind. You had to be on mind control 24/7. No inappropriate or possibly embarrassing thoughts. In case you don't catch my drift, it's hard.

So, anyway…

I looked around at my flock, all talking about going to school again. But, of course, not just any school, but the _Lerner School for 'Gifted' Children_. Notice the air quotes implied on 'gifted'. But, still, as a thought about it, I realized I had an important question: just how many kids were enrolled in that school? And just what _kind_ of kids do they let in?

"Mom?" I asked, cocking my head.

"Yes, Max?" She looked at me, attentive.

"Who goes to our school? Besides us, I mean."

"Oh, a good number of people."

"But, I mean, are any, you know…like _us_?" Gazzy asked what I was thinking.

Mom grinned. I don't think I'd ever seen such a knowing smile before. "Oh yes, plenty of mutants or experiments." Something in her tone told me she was hiding something. I would _so_ have to get to the bottom of that. "In fact, most of them will relate to you just fine – they've been on the run, or tortured, experimented on…they know what it's like to hate the School, the Institute, or wherever they came from, but, I've been there many times myself, and I must say most of them like it."

"But…where do they live? Where do they go home too?" Nudge asked.

"You guys left the opening before I could tell you this, but they have a whole extra building for living in. Just for those kids like you guys. Of course, you can still live with us if you like, but you have the choice." Mom explained. "It would sort of be like having a lot more brothers and sisters. Most of those kids do live there."

The flock and I shared glances. I admit, it was intriguing, but we were all a bit skeptical – nervous. What _exactly_ would we find there?

We were all expecting the unexpected, and to me, that means you're expecting the most unlikely and far-fetched thing in the universe. Which probably means you're going to leave out the things that are close to home.

So, you're completely surprised when one of those ideas from your inner circle is thrust at you – and I _don't_ like being surprised.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do we honestly, _honestly_ have to get up this early? Can't they move school back to ten o' clock? When normal people get up?" Iggy wondered.

"_Normal people_ get up at this time to go to work and school." Mom pointed out.

"Besides, you're not normal." Gazzy snickered.

"Shut up and stop rubbing it in. With a name like _Gasman_ you're not normal either."

"Can it." I snapped groggily. "Before I can you."

That morning was, in fact, the most hectic and horrible morning _ever_. I mean, honestly. Even compared to the day we moved – oh, that had been torture. But, on the bright side, that school bell woke me up nice 'n' clear. Oh, for joy.

But seriously: that school was not bad at _all_. We did get stared at, but then less than five minutes later we found out it was because we were famous. I mean, how cool is that? A bunch of mutant kids that look up to us, and that think we're just awesome.

The actual learning wasn't that bad either. Everyone was on a different level, so there were so many different ages in each class, though a half of the class was the majority and all around the same age, but it wasn't bad at all. No one really picked on anyone else or things like that.

Because they were all just like us – desperate, finally loving to have a place like this. Of course, I wanted to be back at Mom's during parts of the day, but hey, I had the flock, so that was close. The coolest things were A: we were all in the same building. And B: there was only one lunchtime. That way, no one was eating way too early or too late. So, the flock and I got to sit together. Awesome, huh?

Since everyone ate lunch at one time, you'd think it be crowded. But we were divided in half. Lunch was free time, in their terms. Half the crowd inside, all eating at a table with like two or three other people you didn't know, or outside, just roaming and enjoying the weather. We sat outside of course.

Somewhere in my head, though, I didn't want to know how crowded it would be when it was raining or something. With our serious claustrophobia, we were a bit awkward. But Angel answered my thought, telling me that since most of the kids here were nervous around other people, they made _sure_ that the lunchroom could fit them all comfortably. If not, then we could all go eat in other parts of the school – except the rooms with computers.

But how awesome was that?

I've said that a lot, haven't I? But hey, our first day was all right – that didn't mean, however, that the rest of the year would be. Heck, the rest of the _week_. Something always happened. Yeah, I'm skeptical, but can you blame me?

I didn't think so.


	4. Chapter 3: Are We There Yet?

Star: (Giggles maniacally) I have taken a break from chasing Faith with my rubber mallet to post this chapter.

Faith: (Steps away from Star) She's had caffiene again.

Star: Of course I have! (Cackles maniacally) And I have my rubber mallet! YOU MUST FEAR ME!

Faith: Oh yeah? (Pulls out GFMCLOD) YOUR MALLET IS NO MATCH FOR MY GIANT FLAMING MULTI-COLORED LOLLIPOP OF DOOOM!!!

Star: (Looks at the viewers) Well, what're you staring at? GO READ! (Turns to Faith) LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!

* * *

"_I believe I can fly.... I believe I can touch the sky_..."

"Kevin, I swear, if you start singing that again I _will_ throw you out of this plane down to the earth far below."

"I'm terrified, Aly. Really, I am. Shaking in my seat belt."

"I can help!"

"Okay, now I'm_ really_ scared."

Virginia leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling, trying to block them out.

"You know, I could be doing something useful right now," Audrey was complaining. As usual. She glared at the back of Virginia's head. "LIKE BLOWING UP YOUR HOUSE!"

"Why, Ain't Virginia? How could you do this to us?" Cody whined from his seat just behind her. "What have we ever done to -"

"NO!" Kevin quickly slapped a hand over the younger boy's mouth just as Virginia turned around with an arched eyebrow. "Please, don't answer that." He turned to glare at Cody. "Don't _ever_ ask a question like that. Ever."

Virginia rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you guys are making a big deal out of nothing."

"Like what Daddy says?" Justice asked innocently. "'Makin' a mole out of a mountain'?"

"No, Justice," Aly smiled at the little boy. "It's 'making a mountain out of a mole hill'."

"Who came up with _that_ saying?" Dawn wrinkled her nose. "Really, it's _weird_."

"It's a southern saying," Virginia sighed. "And, really, that's just how Lee works." She was thankful for the silence that followed, even if it was short.

Very, very short.

"I'm bored."

"I'm hungry."

"Are we there yet?"

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

"I gotta use the bathroom."

"I feel claustrophobic."

"We're _all_ claustrophobic, Dawn."

"Shut up, Cody. Nobody asked you."

"Well... You smell!"

"Oh, excellent comeback, Codester."

"I'm going to count to three," Virginia growled, turning in her seat to look at the six faces behind her. "And when I reach 'three', you will _all_ be quiet, or you will _all_ have to fly the rest of the way to Virginia, and _I'll _stay on the plane." She gave them each a glare before sitting back down.

Hushed whispering took over the complaining and arguing. You could catch bits and words here and there, to gather that Aly and Kevin were arguing, Audrey and Dawn were debating over who's luggage to blow up first, Kevin's or Cody's, and Cody was muttering to himself and trying to think up some snappy comebacks.

She looked over her shoulder when she felt a quiet tap. Justice's face filled her vision, as he was leaning over the seat and staring at her. "Yes, Justice? Can I help you?"

He nodded his head. "When are we gonna see Daddy?"

Virginia smiled. "As soon as we land. He's going to meet us at the airport." He nodded and sat back down.

And then the flight attendant came.

"Hello," she smiled, her blond hair pulled back and her green eyes matching her smile. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Bless her heart, she never saw it coming.

"Oooh! I wanna Dr. Pepper!"

"Some chips! Any kind of chips!"

"Some ginger ale?"

"I want some candy!"

"Ooh, I want some too!"

"Do you have any pretzels?"

"I'd like some juice, please."

"Aww, very polite, Justice! Good job."

"Can I have some peanuts? It wouldn't be right to be on plane without getting peanuts!"

"But you're _allergic_ to peanuts, Cody!"

"_Leave me alone_, Dawn."

The flight attendant blinked, seeming overwhelmed. The kids had that effect on people. "Ummm... A Dr. Pepper, water, ginger ale, candy, pretzels, and juice?"

"Don't forget the peanuts!"

"And some tylonol," Virginia asked.

"Tylonol and peanuts," the flight attendant smiled rather tightly, walked hurriedly away. She came back with the goodies and quickly ran off, leaving the kids to sort out the goodies for themselves.

Virginia shook her head as she took her tylonol. "We're landing in thirty minutes, and you've already driven three different flight attendants into insanity."

"Hey, it wasn't our fault the first one was a ditz," Cody shrugged.

"And the second one was purely Audrey and Kevin's fault," Aly added.

"Hey!" Audrey protested with a glare at Kevin. "It wasn't _my_ fault! He insulted me!"

"Did not!" Kevin argued. "And it was too your fault! Besides, how you got explosives on the plane without the security knowing is beyond me."

"If you hadn't started talking about -"

"That's enough!" Virginia quickly put a halt to the argument.

This was going to be a _long _thirty minutes.

"Why do we have to go to Virginia again?" Dawn asked.

Virginia sighed again. "Because we're going to enroll you into the school there."

"_We?_ Who is this 'we'?" Audrey asked. "Surely not Leroy. Surely not _our_ most beloved, most wise, most trustworthy father."

"And what school?" Aly joined in. "And _why_ do we have to go to it?"

Virginia rolled her eyes. Oh, when she saw her brother, she was going to _kill_ him for leaving the kids with her. If he liked their smart mouths, their pyromaniac tendencies, and their argumentive nature, then _he_ could deal with them. "For the _fiftieth_ time in the past twenty-four hours, I got a job at the Lerner's School for Gifted Children, and -"

"Lerner's School of _what_?" Dawn interrupted.

"Anything like Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters?" Cody grinned smugly.

"How long did it take you to think _that_ up?" Dawn arched an eyebrow.

"Guys, if you're going to repeatedly ask the same questions, you _will not_ interrupt me," Virginia glared until they all were silent. "I got the job, and so now we're moving to Virginia, and you six are going to be enrolled. Leroy's going to stay with us - matter of fact, he's already there. He's rented a house close by so you can stay with us, or you can stay in the dorms if you want."

"I wanna go back home," Justice whined. "I liked it better there."

"You'll like the school just fine," Virginia promised. "There's going to be lots of kids like you there, and you'll get to make lots of new friends."

"New friends?" Audrey's eyes lit up, but Virginia knew it wasn't over the possibility of socialization. "Like, new friends with lots of stuff?"

"_Flamable_ stuff?" Dawn grinned.

"Yeah, then they won't blow up my stuff!" Kevin looked overjoyed.

"No!" Virginia quickly protested with a hard look in the girls direction. "There will be _no_ explosives at _all_. _Period_. Am I clear?"

Dawn and Audrey shared sly looks. "Sure. Crystal clear."

"You never answered my question, Ain't Virginia," Aly remarked. "_Why_ do we have to go?"

"Because, Alyssa, you kids haven't had a proper education. This school will give it to you, plus government protection -"

"And we'll get cool costumes, and we'll get a jet, and cool cars, and a motorcycle, and -"

"Cody, that's enough with the X-Men thing," Virginia warned. "Really, guys, surely it won't be that bad."

And that's when the plane went to land.


End file.
